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Religious Studies

The RS Department aims to teach ‘the Christian values which lie at the heart of the College’ and to furnish pupils with the ability and opportunity to explore the implications of belief socially, practically and intellectually.

About the Curriculum

As one of the ‘core subjects’ we prepare for the Eduqas WJEC short course in RS which gives us a good vehicle to teach and learn about the philosophical and ethical issues that dominate contemporary debate. Questions of relationships, marriage and sexuality from both Christian and other perspectives are studied, along with sharper moral quandaries such as abortion and euthanasia. There are special studies on the key ideas underpinning the Christian faith, and we also take the Buddhism component to round out our exploration of religion in the modern world. The GCSE exam is taken at the end of the Fourth Form.

Learning Approach

We utilise the full range of teaching and learning strategies in the subject. Structured discussions feature strongly, the pupils’ own experience of the ‘big questions’ which inevitably come up are valued as an important springboard and motivation for more advanced and critical thinking. For all things Christian there is our magnificent Chapel which stands as a permanent resource. Student access to technology is exploited for research and presentation purposes which opens up all sorts of collaborative possibilities. Inevitably there is strong focus on exam preparation (especially in the Fourth Form). Work set is varied and is geared to progress in understanding and expression.